View full sizeStaff photo by Britney LillyaThe Kings Highway Bridge over the Salem River in Sharptown was destroyed by Hurricane Irene's floodwaters. It's one of many roadway issues facing the county.

SALEM — Salem County is still
in a state of emergency today as county and local governments continue their
efforts to clean-up the effects of Hurricane Irene.

Salem County still has a number of road
closures due to flooding and possible bridge/road erosion.

"I want to commend the efforts
of our first responders, emergency management personnel, volunteers and public
works employees," said Freeholder Director Lee Ware.

"Hurricane Irene did have a
significant impact in our County, and we are grateful that we were spared from
the worst but were confident that our team was ready to respond to whatever
Irene brought to our region. What we saw during this storm was our County
coming together during the time of crisis; this is what makes Salem County
great. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the one victim of Irene
in our area."

CERT volunteers were an active
part of the County's response during the storm. At the core of CERT philosophy
is "neighbor helping neighbor". Participants in the program are given the tools
they need to help themselves, their families, and their communities during
times of disaster. In an emergency that taxes the resources of local emergency
responders, CERT members can help stabilize situations in their communities
until advanced help reaches them. In addition, CERT members are given numerous
opportunities to train in a variety of emergency services related topics and to
participate in community events.

"Our CERT volunteers were a
tremendous asset in this event," said Deputy Director David Lindenmuth, Chair
of the County Public Safety Committee.

"These volunteers cared for
those in our shelters and assisted in preparing and managing the Hurricane's
effects. Our emergency management officials have praised their efforts because
they made managing the storm more effective and efficient. The freeholders join
in the praise of these volunteers who left their homes and loved ones to assist
their neighbors in a time of need. They join a host of other volunteers who
demonstrated the power of compassion in action." Public Works crews were
managing the effects of the Hurricane until conditions became too dangerous for
them to be dispatched. As soon as the storm subsided, crews went to work
immediately to shut down roads and clean-up debris.

"We have a number of road
closures and sustained another hit to our transportation infrastructure," said
Freeholder Bobbitt, Chair of the County Public Works Committee.

"We are continuing to clean-up and assess the
Hurricane's impact in our area. Over the coming days, our Engineering and
Public Works Departments will be evaluating all our bridges and dams, along
with roadways. We will be working with emergency management officials to
prepare our application to FEMA for assistance. I want to join in thanking all
those who were involved in the community's response to the Hurricane."

Salem County opened two
shelters during the Hurricane, which were located at Schalick High School and
Salem Community College. Schalick High School's shelter was closed late Sunday,
while the Salem Community College shelter still remains active today.

Salem County Department of
Health has dispatched Food Inspectors to businesses in Penns Grove, Carneys
Point, and Pennsville. The Food Inspectors are mainly inspecting businesses
that lost power to ensure that proper food precautions are being taken.

Additionally,
Health Department officials are going to the Salem Community College shelter to
educate personnel and evacuees on communicable diseases.

"Following any significant
event there are always health concerns," said Freeholder Dale Cross, Chair of
the County Health Committee. "Our Public Health Department is working with
State, County, and local officials to educate our public, respond to emergent
health needs, and provide additional resources. We are taking proactive
measures to ensure the health of our residents."

During the Hurricane, the
County utilized various resources to communicate with the public, including:
the reverse 911 system, a new twitter account, and a new active blog. The blog
had over 6,000 hits throughout the Hurricane and was updated regularly with
real-time information.

"Our County team spent many
hours preparing for what could happen," said Director Ware. "This Hurricane
could have been worse, but I believe it demonstrated that whatever might
happen—we are prepared. We utilized various resources to help ensure public
safety, and we had a great team approach to this emergency."

The County Administration
Committee will be meeting with officials from Public Works, Emergency
Management, and Engineering on Tuesday to begin assessing the financial impact
of Hurricane Irene. Preliminary figures will be released on Tuesday afternoon.

"The financial impact of the
Hurricane will change as we continue to deal with changing issues with our
waterways," said Bobbitt. "We will continue to be proactive and responsible
with our response."

While Salem County's travel
restrictions are no longer in place, residents should be advised that
municipalities may have travel restrictions in place and should check with
their local emergency management officials for more information.